Letters warn La. atheist to ‘repent’ or else: ‘The Lord works in VERY mysterious ways’

A Louisiana atheist is asking his Christian neighbors to help identify and “publicly condemn” the author of threatening letters he received that ominously warned “the Lord works in VERY mysterious ways.”

Jon Jeffels – who attends a monthly secular gathering in Lake Charles, Louisiana – said he received two anonymous notes in his mailbox threatening unspecified actions to “protect” his children from his “devil-enabling ways,” reported the Friendly Atheist blog.

“We know who you are. We know where you live. We know where you work,” the writer warned in the typed note, which was rife with misspellings. “You’re little group of devil worshippers isn’t welcome here. Let the love and message of the Lord filter through you and may you escape from the eternal damnation that you have condemned you and you’re innocent children to.”

Jeffels reported the letters to police – despite specific warnings from the author not to contact authorities because “we are every where and His work will be done in His name thru us, the true beleivers.”

The author warned Jeffels, who attends the Community Mission Chapel run by former pastor Jerry DeWitt, to repent his “Satanistic ways or (he) will find that the Lord works in VERY mysterious ways.”

“You are against God and are not welcome in this area and we WILL spread his message to the hearts and minds of your innocent children,” the letter warns. “To deny His word to your children is abuse, and if you do not learn to love Him and His word then we will have no choice but to take action to protect your children from your devil-enabling ways.”

Jeffels decided to move other members of his family to an undisclosed location after receiving a second threatening letter, the blog reported.

“You could not keep away from it, could you?” the second letter reads. “You and your group are infecting this area and driving THE ONE TRUE GOD out. We have warned you before. We are warning you again. We will stop you any way we have too. He has misterious ways. Keep you’re family close.”

Jeffels posted an open letter on Facebook asking the author or authors of the letter to contact him directly to discuss their differences, saying he did not wish anyone to get hurt or lose their job over the incident.

He also asked other Christians in the area to help “extend a hand of friendship and encouragement” to his family, help identify the author – and to “publicly condemn this kind of behavior.”

Jeffels stressed that he believes the letters are likely the work of one or two people and do not represent the beliefs of all Christians, and he still hoped something good could come from the incident.

“You may not agree with our lack of belief in the supernatural but I’m hopeful that you do believe in our right to assemble peacefully and to proclaim a message of community, tolerance and love without fear of physical harm,” Jeffels wrote.